China Harbor
China Harbor is the place to be when you want a gorgeous view to go along with your meal. It's situated right on Lake Union, where you'll be able to watch other outdoor enthusiasts kayaking, canoeing and sailing as you dine. You'll also have a great view of Mt. Rainier, which might inspire you to a little post-meal climbing.
Although the restaurant specializes in hosting weddings, parties and other large functions in its banquet rooms, it also offers an extensive menu of Hunanese, Szechuan and Mandarin specialties to the walk-in diner. Seafood is a specialty, and standout dishes include the sweet and sour sea bass with pine nuts and the hot pots (available in meat, seafood and vegetarian varieties).The China Harbor has a full bar, and offers a wide range of cocktails, beer, wine, sake and plum wine.
China Harbor
2040 Westlake Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 286-1688
chinaharborseattle.com
Sichuanese Cuisine
Sichuanese Cuisine offers family-style dining with large tables that can seat 12 diners; smaller tables are available for solo diners and couples. If you're looking for a bargain, plan to visit between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for the weekday lunch special. For under $7 (as of 2009), you can enjoy specialties ranging from the familiar (kung pao chicken, Mongolian beef) to the less well-known (deep-cooked potato, diced fish with pickled pepper), all of these accompanied by soup and steamed or fried rice. If your tastes run toward the exotic, be sure to check out the menu's back pages for the specialties. These authentic Chinese dishes include such items as the bizarrely named, yet tasty "ants on the tree" (bean thread noodles with ground pork in a spicy red sauce), bitter melon with jalapeno chili and kung pao yao hwa (pork kidney).
Sichuanese Cuisine
15005 N.E. 24th St.
Bellevue, WA 98052
(425) 562-1552
sichuaneserestaurant.com
Jade Garden
Jade Garden, located in Seattle's bustling International District, offers an extensive dim sum menu every day, not just on weekends. In fact, you're better off visiting on a weekday, as it's one of the most popular dim sum places in town (for good reason), and tends to be packed on Saturdays and Sundays. Dim sum plates and tea are brought around by cart, and you select whatever appeals to you. Plates are generous-sized and reasonably priced, costing around $3 to $4 each (as of spring 2009). The siu mai dumplings are particularly tasty, as are the hum bow buns. If you are brave, try the chicken feet---they are surprisingly tender, and flavored with a delicious garlic sauce.
Although dim sum takes center stage at Jade Garden, the restaurant also offers a full lunch and dinner menu, featuring standout items including honey walnut shrimp and even Peking duck. The restaurant caters to late-night diners, as the kitchen is open until 2:30 a.m., and it has in fact become somewhat of a hangout for late-shift workers (correctional officers, restaurant staff), so you won't want for company should you feel in need of a midnight bite.
Jade Garden
704 S. King St.
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 622-8181
Chiang's Gourmet
Chiang's Gourmet was chosen by the Chef Seattle website as Seattle's top Chinese restaurant, despite its out-of-the-way Lake City location and unassuming exterior. What won it the top honor is the fact that it serves authentic Szechuan dishes, even going so far as to make its own noodles. There is a Chinese menu featuring such items as cattle tendon with hot sauce, eel with yellow leek and steamed breaded pig's intestines, an American menu with familiar items such as sweet and sour pork, lemon chicken and egg rolls and a vegetarian menu heavy on the tofu, noodles and eggplant. If you like it hot, be sure to order off the "Szechuan Heaven" menu, featuring spicy fare such as sauteed beef short ribs with triple chili pepper and spicy hot seafood soup pot.
Chiang's Gourmet
7845 Lake City Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 527-8888
chiangsgourmet.com
